Independence Day drama: Anti-Bibi singer ‘not welcome’ in right-wing cities

“We are not interested in supporting a singer who boycotts the right-wing, who is against the government and the reform, to perform in our city on Independence Day,” a group of residents said.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli singer who slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and decried potential reforms to Israel’s judicial system is not welcome to perform in cities that are right-wing strongholds, residents told Hebrew-language media.

Miri Mesika, a popular singer who performs Mizrahit (Middle Eastern) music, wrote a long Instagram post last week criticizing the premier and judicial overhaul on her Instagram account.

Following a speech by Netanyahu in which he said his coalition was struggling to manage security issues that he claimed were caused by the previous government, Mesika wrote a blistering response.

Like many other public figures on the left, Mesika questioned whether the democratically elected coalition government has the right to make decisions and govern the country.

“Democracy is not ‘rule of the majority’, democracy is ‘rule of the people’,” Mesika wrote.

“Instead [of unity] we received a divisive speech [from Netanyahu], throwing responsibility on everyone except the man who is supposed to take responsibility, who is the head of it. It was insulting, shameful and humiliating. Nothing less than that,” she fumed.

“If there is a legal reform in the current format, democracy will be fatally damaged,” she added.

Mesika’s comments did not go unnoticed by residents of Tirat HaCarmel, Kiryat Motzkin, and Nahariya – all cities in Israel’s northern region where the majority of locals are staunch supporters of Netanyahu’s Likud party.

The singer is slated to perform next week on Independence Day in those municipalities, but residents have expressed that she is no longer welcome to perform in their cities after her political statements.

“We are not interested in supporting a singer who boycotts the right-wing, who is against the government and the reform, to perform in our city on Independence Day,” a group of Tirat HaCarmel residents told Mako.

“Tirat HaCarmel is a distinctly right-wing city, and the city’s residents are outraged at the choice of Miri Mesika for an Independence Day show,” they added.

“To avoid unpleasantness, it is better for her not to come – and not because of her left-wing views, God forbid, this is not the intention of the residents, but because of her statements.”

A resident of Nahariya told Mako that “we love Miri, but as soon as she chooses to go against us, there is no reason for her to come and perform for us.”

They added that “we won’t curse or harass her, but we will come to the concert holding signs telling her to get off the stage. We prefer that she not come.”

The municipalities told Mako that there are no plans at the moment to cancel Mesika’s performances.